DRINKING WATER
Success Is The Break That Never Happened: How Embedded Acoustic Intelligence In Ultrasonic Meters Prevents Failure
Embedded acoustic sensing in ultrasonic meters enables continuous leak monitoring, helping utilities detect problems earlier, reduce water loss, and shift from reactive repairs to proactive infrastructure management.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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![Chrome_VI_Illustration]( "Setting The Standard for Effective Chromium-6 Treatment")
Setting The Standard for Effective Chromium-6 TreatmentWhen California capped chromium-6 in drinking water at 10 ppb in 2014, it became the only state to set a chromium MCL and, in so doing, created a challenge for water providers across the state. WRT (Water Remediation Technology LLC) has met that challenge with the SMR™ (Selective Metals Reduction) Process.
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Pembroke Desalination Plant: Malta
LG Chem NanoH2O™ membranes delivered excellent water quality water at low energy costs at the largest RO desalination facility in Malta
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![findlay-township]( "Findlay Township Utility Saves Money And Manpower With Proactive Xylem Technology")
Findlay Township Utility Saves Money And Manpower With Proactive Xylem TechnologyLearn about the acoustic monitoring application that identifies water leaks efficiently.
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![Algae-bloom-small-pond-GettyImages-1025749714]( "EPA Researchers Develop Forecasting Approach To Predict Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms For U.S. Lakes")
EPA Researchers Develop Forecasting Approach To Predict Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms For U.S. LakesDue to climate and land use pressures, there is concern that harmful cyanobacterial blooms (HCBs) may increase in frequency, extent, and magnitude, but it can be difficult to know when and where HCBs may form. EPA’s Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research uses a range of data sources and methods to characterize HCBs in waterbodies.
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![Water splash-GettyImages-1449436913]( "EPA Researchers Partner With The Minnesota Department of Health To Screen For Chemicals Of Health Concern In Water")
EPA Researchers Partner With The Minnesota Department of Health To Screen For Chemicals Of Health Concern In WaterThere are many different chemicals that are released into our environment, and the ability to characterize human exposure and risk of every one of those chemicals is limited. Because information about these chemicals and their sources is limited, it’s difficult to know which chemicals are of highest concern, and regulatory agencies struggle to determine where they should focus efforts.
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![IEU]( "Three Categories Of Sustainability")
Three Categories Of SustainabilityNearly 4.7 billion gallons of water were saved in 2013 alone through installation of Badger Meter water utility solutions.
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How To Squeeze Money Out Of Your Water Meters
There are many types of water meters being used across the U.S. to measure water consumption. And even though the panacea for a water utility would be to equip each residence with the same meter — standardizing metering technique, data capture and maintenance — the reality is that a utility needs to be able to read and service the variety of meters that make up its metering portfolio.
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![First-Time Customer Praises AMERICAN Flow Control’s Valves With ALPHA Ends For Quick Install And Time Saved]( "First-Time Customer Praises AMERICAN Flow Control's Valves With ALPHA Ends For Quick Install And Time Saved")
First-Time Customer Praises AMERICAN Flow Control's Valves With ALPHA Ends For Quick Install And Time SavedThe estimated 100-year-old small diameter water mains coming westward out of Manning, South Carolina, were beginning to show their age. So when it was determined the South Carolina Department of Transportation would soon be resurfacing SC Highway 261, the city knew it was the optimal time to replace these aging smaller mains. The mains serviced the Clarendon County Courthouse, City Hall, the elementary, middle and high schools and about 60 businesses along SC Highway 261.
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![iStock-1221241141]( "EPA Researchers Develop Tool To Assess Onsite Non-Potable Water Reuse For Buildings Across The U.S.")
EPA Researchers Develop Tool To Assess Onsite Non-Potable Water Reuse For Buildings Across The U.S.Increasing pressure on water resources has led to greater water scarcity and a growing demand for enough clean water. Many communities across the country have initiated, or are in the process of developing, centralized systems for planned water reuse. Water reuse is the concept of intentionally recycling, treating, and reusing alternative water sources. Federal government agencies and the water user community are coordinating their efforts to advance the adoption of water reuse and ensure the security, sustainability, and resilience of water resources. The National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) describes these collaborative actions.
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![iStock-173263231_450_300]( "Using Advanced Tools To Stem The Lost Revenue Tide")
Using Advanced Tools To Stem The Lost Revenue TideFrom the largest metropolitan utilities to the smallest water systems, leaks are a problem everywhere. Because it’s difficult to raise consumer prices to offset the losses, non-revenue water has a direct impact on the bottom line of municipal water systems. However, utility managers now have an opportunity to reverse the problem with advanced flow meter technology that combines multiple measurements.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Organics Aren't Invisible: A Guide for Simple Online Monitoring5/13/2019
Control of dissolved organics has been one of the highest priority concerns for most water treatment plants for over 20 years. Organics monitoring is an even more critical issue today in the face of more stringent regulations and concerns around trace organics, emerging contaminants, and even counter-terrorism or water security. Despite the critical need, many plants still rely primarily on turbidity for monitoring and process control.
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Leak Detection On Water Distribution Network Using Clamp-On Flowmeters5/22/2023
A global engineering company realized that their leak identification methods were time consuming and expensive, and so began to explore alternative solutions, such as ultrasonic flow meters.
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Best Practices In Moist And Wet Gas Flow12/20/2021
The Wet Gas MASSter sensor is for use in applications that have a high level of moisture or condensation present in the gas flow stream that cannot otherwise be removed.
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Municipal Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring9/24/2020
We arm municipalities with actionable data necessary to make informed decisions about water quality in their communities
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How To Read An Encoder9/13/2013
The HR-E LCD encoder has a 9-digit Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to show consumption, flow and alarm information. The display automatically toggles between 9-digit and 6-digit consumption, rate of flow and meter model.
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Temperature Monitoring For Water Treatment4/29/2024
Learn how to ensure compliance, monitor water temperature diligently, and implement robust measures to mitigate regulatory penalties.
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Irrigation Technology In Agriculture: How New Technologies Overcome Challenges1/29/2019
As the world’s population continues to increase at a fast pace, more food and water will be needed to sustain humanity. In the past 50 years, we have tripled our need for water and food, and there are no signs of this trend slowing down. As a result of these conditions, smart, innovative agricultural practices are needed now more than ever. Technology can, and already does, aid agriculture in innumerable ways. One prominent part of agriculture that can use technological innovation to increase efficiency and effectiveness is irrigation.
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Determination Of Hexanal In Foods Utilizing Dynamic Headspace4/9/2015
Hexanal is one of many well-documented aromatic components that contribute to flavor and aroma in common consumer food products containing omega-6 fatty acids. Hexanal content is also used to measure the oxidative status of foods rich in omega-6 fatty acids.
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Determination Of Pesticide Residues In Honey, By An Automated QuEChERS Solution9/17/2014
The QuEChERS (Quick-Easy-Cheap-Effective-Rugged-Safe) sample extraction method was developed for the determination of pesticide residues in agricultural commodities.
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Colorimetric vs Amperometric Technologies3/9/2026
Choose the right chlorine monitoring approach by weighing the continuous, reagent-free speed of amperometric sensing against the superior, stable accuracy of batch-based colorimetric analysis, ensuring long-term reliability based on specific site and process requirements.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
The Hydra Total PFAS Reduction System delivers a sophisticated, pre-configured point-of-use water treatment solution meticulously engineered to combat the growing threat of PFAS contamination in residential and commercial water supplies. This advanced filtration system represents the culmination of ResinTech’s industry-leading research and development, offering unparalleled protection against these persistent environmental contaminants.
WRT's Z-92® process is the most effective and environmentally responsible choice you can make for removing uranium from drinking water and the community. That's because after removing the uranium, we dispose of it at a licensed facility
The launch of the world’s first ready-to-use reagent packages for photometric analysis in the 1960’s had a substantial effect on water analysis. Today Hach® TNTplus® Vial Tests and photometers are indispensable elements of both process control and compliance monitoring.
ResinTech AGC-40 X is a dry 12 x 40 mesh bituminous coal based granular activated carbon having relatively high surface area and large pores. ResinTech AGC-40 X is intended for chlorine or NOM removal where rapid adsorption is required. It is Gold Seal Certified by the WQA for use in potable water applications.
In municipal drinking water applications or pre-treatment for desalination plants using gravity filters, the filter underdrain is one of the most important components contributing to overall system performance and operation — whether a new filter design or retrofitting an existing filter.
Ideal for field and environmental testing, the TB 350 turbidity meter delivers the most reliable measurements for low range to high range samples without sacrificing accuracy.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![Smart industry, worker safety technology-GettyImages-2218674119]( "Geotechnical IoT Shifts Water Infrastructure From Reactive To Predictive")
Currently, water infrastructure is outdated and fragile, prone to breakages and leaks. Reactive approaches to water infrastructure are only implemented after an incident and are more expensive than simple maintenance fixes. Geotechnical Internet of Things (IoT) devices enable water and wastewater industry professionals to identify and address issues before they escalate into catastrophic events.
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![Water Drop with brain-GettyImages-481129858]( "When Drinking Water Raises Bigger Questions About Brain Health And Environmental Risk")
A new study linking certain groundwater sources to higher Parkinson’s risk underscores a broader question for the water sector: how environmental exposures in drinking water may influence long-term health. -
![Water Treatment system for boiler station-GettyImages-914817776]( "Filtration Media For Municipal, Industrial, And Landscape Water Treatment: Legacy And Novel Technologies")
The growing demand for water across a variety of sectors combined with the increasingly understood complexity of emerging contaminants is creating a dynamic marketplace for filtration media. The goal of selecting the right filtration media is not to meet minimum standards but to achieve the right balance of performance, durability, and operational simplicity to ensure long-term compliance and cost-effective operation.
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![getty-1314144854-AI-water-robot-hand]( "Scaling Water Reuse: New State Regulatory Guides And What They Mean For Treatment Design")
Emerging state water reuse regulations are driving adoption of ozone and advanced oxidation, requiring flexible, high-performance systems to meet pathogen, trace organic, and DBP control objectives.
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![GettyImages-2153059351-gloved-hand-with-test-tube-testing-water]( "EPA's Proposed Perchlorate Regulation: What It Means For Treatment Engineers And Oxidation Strategies")
EPA’s proposed perchlorate regulation challenges utilities to integrate advanced oxidation and separation technologies, enabling reliable removal, regulatory compliance, and flexible treatment for emerging contaminants.
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![Ozone Contactors]( "Ozone Contactors: The Engineering Variable That Determines Oxidation Success")
Ozone system performance hinges on reactor design, not generator size. Efficient mass transfer, hydraulic integrity, and contact time ensure consistent oxidation, reduced energy use, and reliable treatment results.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
In this episode of The Water Online Show: On Location, our guest is Mike Blackburn from Hach. Mike dives into the benefits of panel-mounted solutions for water quality monitoring.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.